Roquefort Cheese Roquefort Cheese Roquefort cheese is made from ewe's-milk and comes from the south of France. ie 'Roquefort-sur-Soulzon'. The Aveyron region of France. It is made entirely from the milk of the Lacaune, Manech and Basco-Béarnaise breeds of sheep. Together with Bleu d'Auvergne, Stilton and Gorgonzola, Roquefort Cheese is rated as one of the world's greatest blue cheeses. The law in Europe says that only the cheeses aged in the natural Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon may bear the name 'Roquefort'. Roquefort is sometimes known as the "King of Cheeses". To deserve this title, it should be white, crumbly and moist in the centre and therefore easily spreadable. If it's a bit hard still, it can ripen in the fridge. Roquefort Cheese has distinctive veins of blue mold, these blue veins provide a sharp tang. When you eat roquefort there is a flavour sensation that begins slightly mild, then sweet, then smoky, then fading to a salty finish.

Roquefort Cheese has no rind therefore the whole Roquefort is edible. As each kilogram of finished cheese requires about 4.5 litres of milk, Roquefort is high in fat, protein and minerals. The story behind the cheese is, the cheese was discovered when a young shepherd, eating his lunch of bread and ewes' milk cheese, saw a beautiful girl in the distance. Abandoning his meal in a nearby cave, he ran to meet her. When he returned a few months later, the (Penicillium roqueforti) mold had transformed his plain cheese into Roquefort. The mold that gives Roquefort its distinctive character (Penicillium roqueforti) is found in the soil of these famous caves. Traditionally the cheesemakers extracted it by leaving bread in the caves for six to eight weeks until it was consumed by the mold. The interior of the bread was then dried to produce a powder. (Nowadays the mold can be produced in a laboratory.) Then the mold was added to the curd, through holes poked into the rind, and left to mature. The best way to sample Roquefort is at room temperature. After a pleasent meal with friends.

Crack open a chilled bottle of French dessert wine. One of the best in my opinion is 'Sauternes', which is a French dessert wine from the Sauternais region of the Graves section in Bordeaux. Sauternes is made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by Botrytis cinerea, also known as noble rot. This causes the grapes to become partially raisined, resulting in a beautifully sweet dessert wine. Sauternes, a chunk of Roquefort with some bread and some plump figs. This combination of rich sweet wine, ripe fruit and the salty creamy cheese is a perfect trio of taste sensations. A wonderful way to end a meal. Recipes using Roquefort Cheese:- Cheeses by Region Cheeses by Region Switzerland Emmental is a cheese from Switzerland. It is sometimes known as Swiss cheese in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, although Swiss cheese does not always imply Emmentaler. It is an ivory colored, medium-hard cheese.

Failure to remove CO2 bubbles during production, due to inconsistent pressing, results in the large holes called eyes […] Holland Made in the Netherlands by K.H De Jong, Rembrandt Gouda is aged over one year. Production involves a combination of best practices – both traditional and new – in order to create Rembrandt. For instance, whereas some producers force age their Gouda with the addition of certain cultures to the milk, De Jong’s cheesemakers take […] Switzerland Appenzeller cheese is a hard cow’s-milk cheese produced in the Appenzell region of northeast Switzerland. A herbal brine, sometimes incorporating wine or cider, is applied to the wheels of cheese while they cure, which flavors and preserves the cheese while promoting the formation of a rind. Appenzeller has a documented history of at least 700 […] California Bayley Hazen Blue is a natural rinded blue cheese. It is made with whole raw milk every other day, primarily with morning milk, which is lower in fat.

The paste of a Bayley Hazen is drier than most blues and the penicillium roqueforti takes a back seat to an array of flavors that hint at […] Washington Seattle’s own Beecher’s has developed a rich and complex cheese. A combination of cheddar and gruyere cultures gives us a sharp cheese that is also smooth. The careful aging process and commitment to quality (no hormones) brings us this nutty cheese. The first wheel of Flagship, Beecher’s signature cheese, was handcrafted just as Beecher’s Handmade […] 14 Cheeses of The Midi Pyrenees – This is France Advertise here! 14 Cheeses of The Midi Pyrenees France is well known for producing cheeses famous throughout the world, such as Brie, Camembert and Roquefort – to name but three. It is estimated that over 500 different cheeses are made in France with a diversity of flavours, shapes, textures and tastes that are quite incredible.

A great deal of credit for the proliferation and the ongoing artisanal production of so many varieties of cheeses can be accredited both to the AOC label (Appelation d’Origine ControlÃ©e) which has ensured that traditions and production processes are not only protected, but that they also follow a strict set of guidelines. This is often viewed as yet another form of French protectionism, I’ll drink to that, but it also ensures that a cheese that carries an AOC label is produced in a traditional way, with milk that comes from local sources and made in the region that the AOC says it comes from. Another reason for the ongoing production and consumption of so many varieties of cheeses is the French culture of gastronomy that is instilled from a very young age, where children are introduced to a wide variety of different foods and educated as to their origin, “terroir” and “patrimoine” – I have deliberately left these expressions unexplained in order that the reader discovers what they really mean as explaining them would be both confusing and very long.

This would give an opportunity for at least two other posts on the subject of food and gastronomy… In this post, I’d like to introduce you to some cheeses from the Midi-Pyrenees region of south west France – basically from Toulouse and outlying regions, The Pyrenees and the 8 departments that make up the region. This is not an exhaustive list, just a few favourites and some of the perhaps lesser known varieties of excellent cheese produced here – and in no particular order. Monts de Lacaune – Montagne Noire / Tarn – this is a cheese made from cow’s milk but with varieties made from goat’s, sheep’s, cow’s / sheep’s and Goat’s / sheep’s milk. A semi hard cheese with a taste ranging from medium to very strong, according to the age of the cheese – Excellent young with a light red wine and a solid, full-bodied red such as a Fitou or a Fronton when it has been aged. Roquefort – Aveyron, made in the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon and aged in traditional limestone caves.

Well I guess most know this soft, crumbly, blue cheese with its distinctive, blue-green veining with a strong pronounced taste made from sheep’s milk. Excellent with fresh fruit such as pears, figs or apples – best eaten with a sweet white wine – Blanc Moelleux. Rocamadour – From the village of the same name in the Lot department – small creamy white disks made from goat’s milk, generally eaten when soft but can be eaten aged where they become harder and drier – best eaten with a dry white wine and can be eaten with a black-cherry conserve much as similar cheeses are eaten in the Pyrenees. Excellent grilled whole on bread “pain de campagne” accompanied with a green salad and walnuts. Bethmale – From the Cousserons area around Saint Girons in the Pyrenees, a semi-hard cheese, with a medium flavour and buttery flavour, best eaten with a light red wine. Moulis – another cheese from the village of the same name just outside Saint Girons, semi-hard with a very strong flavour best accompanied by a full-bodied, fruity red wine such as a CorbiÃ¨res.

Castillonais – From the same region as Bethmale – a mixed Goat’s / sheep’s milk semi hard cheese with a delicate taste of woodland leaves and wild mushrooms – serve with a light red wine such as a Bourgogne or a Beaujolais. Bleu des Causses – From the Lot department, a milder blue than the Roquefort, with a less pronounced taste, made from cow’s milk. delicious served with a sweet white wine. Le Cathare – dusted with wood ash, with the distinctive cross of the Midi-Pyrenees region, this light and delicate goat’s cheese is best served with a dry white wine from Gaillac. Anneau de Vic Bilh – A creamy, mild goat’s cheese, dusted with wood ash with a hole in the middle and a delicate taste that is a fine balance of saltiness and bitterness – serve with a dry white wine. Crottins du Tarn – from the Tarn department a soft, mild-tasting goat’s milk cheese, good for spreading or grilling on fresh bread and served with a green salad, dressed with walnut-oil vinaigrette accompanied by a dry white wine from Gaillac.

Le Cocagne – from the region around Albi in the Tarn, a semi-soft, medium-strong, sheep’s milk cheese with a yellow, almost buttery texture that is best accompanied by a dry, white Gaillac. PÃ©rail de BrÃ©bis – from the Aveyron department near Roquefort a white sheep’s milk cheese with a strong taste that can be accompanied by a light red from the Languedoc, a dry white or a RosÃ© de Provence. Tomme des Gavachs – A strong, semi hard, cow’s milk cheese from Les Monts de Lacause in the Tarn best served with a full-bodied red such as a CÃ´tes du Tarn or a Fronton. St FÃ©lix de Lauragais – in the haute Garonne department – produces a variety of soft and semi-soft, delicately flavoured goat’s cheeses of the CabÃ©cou variety. Although not strictly an AOC, the cheeses are excellent, some rolled in crushed hazelnuts, chives, sultanas, ground black pepper or cranberries, they really are delicious and well worth a mention here.

As I mentioned earlier, this is just a selection of a few of the cheeses available in the region – they are all delicious with their own particular tastes, best served with the wine from the region in which they are made but which can also be served with other wines. If you are ever in the region, you must try them, but do try and go to where they are made and buy direct – not only will you get the authentic product, but you will also be supporting local artisans and crafts people. Bon appÃ©tit – bien sÃ»r! 14 Cheeses of The Midi Pyrenees Related posts: French cheese - Cheeses of France - a short guide - soft cheeses , such as Camembert - blue cheeses to which can be added a number of hybrids or very individual cheeses. Three different types of milk: Cheese is traditionally made from three types of milk: - cow's milk - sheep's milk (ewe's milk) Two origins: And they are further divided into cheeses from the farmhouse (fromages fermiers) , or industrially manufactured cheeses.

Labels: A further distinction is also possible: traditional regional cheeses with an "appellation controlée" label (there are about 40 of these), traditional cheeses without an "appelation contôlée" label, and modern dairy-designed and produced cheeses. This brief guide looks at a good selection of French cheeses looking at each of these categories in turn. The families of cheese: 1. Pressed cheeses. All of these are made from cow's milk. A selection of the best-known "pressed" (or "hard") cheeses in France. All of these cheeses come in large units, off which the cheese merchant will cut slices. There are two types, "cooked" cheeeses, where the whey is heated during the production process, and "uncooked" cheeses, where it is not. Cooked cheeses can sometimes keep for a very long time. Cantal A very tasty uncooked pressed cheese from the Auvergne mountains, Cantal is a cheese that many consider to be quite close to an English farmhouse cheddar or chester. A lot of this "appellation contrôlée" cheese is made on farms, but obviously local dairies in the region also produce it in large quantities.

Cantal comes in two varieties: "jeune" (young) and "entre deux" (between two), meaning cheese that has matured for longer. This cheese's strength and taste increase with ageing, and generally speaking cantal cheese is stronger than cheddar. Two smaller areas within or bordering the Cantal department produce specific appellations of their own, Salers and Laguiole. These cheeses - made from the milk of cows grazing at high altitude, tend to be more expensive than generic Cantal, and are generally aged longer. Comté This delicious French cousin of the swiss "Gruyère" cheese is an appellation contrôlée from the Franche Comté region of eastern France. The production area stretches along the Swiss border, and all milk comes from cows grazing at at least 400 metres altitude. This cooked cheese is manufactured collectively village by village, and the production method has changed little over hundreds of years. Though produced village by village, in the local village dairy (the "fruitière"), a lot of Comté is matured for up to two years in industrial cellars by large dairy companies such as Jurador Comté cheese generally comes without holes in it; but sometimes it may have small holes.

Like Cantal, Comté comes in different varieties, sometimes called "fruité" or "salé" (fruity or salty). Fruité Comté is often more elastic; salé is usually a little more brittle. The most expensive Comté is "Comté vieux" (old Comté), which is generally aged over six months and possibly over a year. Comté is the traditional cheese used in a cheese "fondue", and also for "raclette" (see below). Comté that is produced using milk not coming from cows grazing according to the "appellation contrôlée" rules, can be used to make French Gruyère. Although Gruyère is the name of a Swiss village, it has recently been given an IGP label (= PGI - Protected Geographical Indication) in France. Gruyère is an AOC in Switzerland. Cheeses similar to comté are Beaufort, and Abondance made in a similar manner in the French alps. Beaufort tends to be stronger tasting than Comté, and the taste is also slightly different.

(On the cheese map, the three large cheeses centre right are -top to bottom- Comté, Emmental and Beaufort). Emmental Emmental is your traditional cheese with holes in it. It is not an appellation contrôlée cheese, and is thus produced over a large area of France, notably in the east. It lacks the finesse of Comté, and is generally produced industrially, though industrial producers have their own label of quality for this cheese. French Emmental benefits from an IGP label. Mimolette A round cheese, made in the area of Lille in the north of France. It's orange colour is the result of the addition of natural coloring. The cheese was originally made as a French variation of the Dutch Edam cheese, to which it is very similar. (Tomme des) Pyrénées This slightly-cooked hard cheese is produced, obviously, in the Pyrenees - though it does not benefit from an appellation contrôlée label. Pyrenees comes with a distinctive black skin. Generally speaking it is a fairly bland cheese that will appeal to those who do not like strong-tasting cheeses. An IGP cheese.

Reblochon: A rich soft pressed cheese made in the Alps; it has quite a strong flavour, and a creamy texture. 2. Soft cheeses There are literally hundreds of soft French cheeses; each region has its own specialities. Many of these - notably those with appellation contrôlée - are manufactured in small units, and (with notable exceptions such as Brie and St. Nectaire) if you want to buy one, you must buy a whole cheese. Brie There are two sorts of Brie, Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun, both appellation contrôlée (AOC) cheeses named after two nearby towns in the the country some fifty miles south east of Paris. Brie comes as a thin round cheese about 20 inches in diameter, with a soft white crust. This crust is eaten, not cut off! Brie is a very mild creamy cheese that should appeal to anyone who does not enjoy strong tasting cheese. Camembert: A cheese from Normandy, Camembert is perhaps the most famous French cheese, and is known and imitated worldwide. A ripe Camembert should be just soft on the inside, but not too runny.

A young Camembert will tend to be hard and dry, and rather tasteless; an overripe Camembert, going yellowish on the outside, will tend to smell quite strongly and is not to be reccommended other than to those who enjoy strong cheeses. The crust of a Camembert is usually eaten. Supermarkets are full of Camembert lookalikes, since any similar cheese that is not manufactured in the appellation contrôlée area in Normandy cannot call itself Camembert. These lookalikes tend to be sold young. To test a Camembert or a lookalike, open the box (not the protective wrapping paper!) and press gently. The cheese should be just soft, but not spongy. Epoisses A fairly strong "rind-washed" soft cheese from the Burgundy region. Thicker than a Camembert, Epoisses, like other rind washed cheeses, is yellowish on the outside, and white on the inside. The white centre is often almost crumbly, while the cheese under the skin remains very soft.

Epoisses has a distinctive taste, shared with a similar cheese from a bit further north "Langres"; both of these cheeses are appellation contrôlée cheeses, and are admirable accompaniments for red wine. Another cheese in the same family is Maroilles, made in the north of France. Gaperon A semi-soft cheese from Auvergne, made with cows milk, and flavoured with pepper and garlic. A small hemispherical cheese weighing about half a pound. Mont d'Or This very distinctive appellation contrôlée cheese from Franche Comté , (known as Vacherin in Switzerland), is manufactured along the French-Swiss border, at altitudes of at least 800 metres. Like Comté that is made in the same region, it is a cheese whose manufacturing process has changed little over the centuries. This rind washed cheese matures in a round frame made of a thin strip of local spruce wood. In the course of maturing, this wood imparts a delicious aroma into the cheese which is later packaged and sold in round boxes made from the same wood.

Unfortunately, Mont d'Or is a seasonal cheese and is not manufactured in the summer months because the milk quality in the regin is different when the cows have rich summer pastures to graze on. This cheese comes with an undulating beige crust, and under the crust the cheese itself is soft to runny. Though it is quite a strong cheese, Mont d'Or is not usually a sharp cheese. It tends to appeal to all tastes. In recent years, local dairies have looked for ways to produce and market a cheese similar to Mont d'Or year-round. The most successful imitation is called Edel de Cleron, made in the Franche Comté region, but in a dairy at a lower altitude. Like Mont d'Or, Edel is packaged in spruce wood, to give it the distinctive aroma. Munster A fairly strong rind-washed soft cheese from the Vosges mountains in Eastern France, in the Lorraine region. Munster is definitely not a cheese for those who do not like strong tasting varieties. It comes in two varieties, normal and "au cumin" (with cumin seed).

Darker on the outside than Langres or Epoisses, Munster generally has a thicker rind which some eat, others cut off. Even an unripe Munster is tasty; a ripe one - which may well be quite hard on the inside - will be very strong. However, like other strong cheeses, Munster should never have an acrid taste. If it does, it is over-ripe. Pont l'Evèque A creamy soft cheese, uncooked and unpressed, from the coastal region of Normandy , south of Deauville; this is one of the oldest cheeses in France, and has been documented since the 12th century. Saint Nectaire Some claim that this is the greatest of French cheeses - and possibly this could be true for an exceptionally good cheese; but Saint Nectaire - an appellation contrôlée cheese from the mountains of the Auvergne - is, alas, a cheese that varies considerably in quality and taste. To start with there are two distinct types, the farm variety and the dairy variety. The farm variety is generally better and more expensive, the dairy variety, usually found in supermarkets, is frequently sold too young.

When this cheese is young, it is quite dry and hard; a properly matured Saint Nectaire should be soft and elastic, with a slight tendency to flow if left at room temperature. One does not eat the rind of a Saint Nectaire. A cheese very similar to Saint Nectaire - notably to the variety found in supermarkets - is Savaron, a non-appellation cheese that is also produced in the Auvergne but generally by industrial dairies. Blue cheeses Bleu d'Auvergne - An appellation contrôlée cheese whose quality and taste can vary considerably , going from the bland to the sharp. Even in a supermarket, you can ask to taste before you buy. Specific varieties of Bleu d'Auvergne include the ancient Bleu de Laqueille . A popular modern variant of Bleu d'Auvergne is Saint Agur, a creamy blue cheese made in the Velay hills of Haute Loire by the large industrial dairy group Bongrain.

There is no village called Saint Agur - indeed no saint either - but Saint Agur cheese is made according to traditional methods Bleu de Bresse - Not an appellation contrôlée cheese, but a French industrial dairy's attempt to imitate the success of Danish blue. Soft and almost spreadable cheese. Bleu des Causses - An appellation contrôlée cheese which is generally delicious and strong tasting, without being sharp. A cows-milk cheese, sometimes quite crumbly, manufactured in the same area as Roquefort and quite similar tasting. Bleu de Gex - A blue from the swiss border, rather hard and not very strong. Fourme d'Ambert - a mild blue cheese from the Auvergne, often with an almost nutty flavour. No-one should find this too strong. Roquefort - The most famous French blue cheese, though not necessarily the best. Roquefort is an Appellation contrôlée cheese, made from the milk of one single breed of sheep, the "Lacaune" breed. The cheese has been made since the Middle Ages, and has been famous for many centuries; more recently it has been the object of intense and successful marketing.

Over 18,000 tons of Roquefort are manufactured each year, and the cheese is exported worldwide. Made in the "causses" mountains of southern France, in the department of the Aveyron, and matured in caves. In the past, a lot of the milk used in the making of Roquefort is imported into the region; but the cheese's success has led to a development of sheep rearing in the Aveyron, and all the milk used in Roquefort is now sourced locally. Other cheeses Goat's cheeses: Crottin de Chavignol, Valençay, etc... There are dozens of different goats' cheeses, and many local producers market their cheese under their own local village or regional name. Goats' cheeses can be sold either very young (frais), when they are soft and spreadable, medium matured, when they are still soft, but not spreadable, or fully matured, when they are hard. Ewe's milk cheeses: Ineguy : pressed cheese from the Basque country, similar to other southern European ewe's milk cheeses such as Pecorino.

Some modern dairy cheeeses Saint Agur (a soft blue cheese, made in the Auvergne) , Brillat-Savarin (an almost buttery soft cheese... delicious, but watch the cholesterol...), Roulade, Saint Albray, Port Salut, Boursin (a cream cheese with herbs and garlic). Raclette Raclette is a mass-produced industrial cheese designed for a "raclette", i.e. a meal in which thin slices of cheese are heated and melted then poured over baked potatoes and eaten with gherkins, mountain ham and other accompaniments. Raclette is an easy and convivial meal, where everyone serves themselves from the raclette grill which is placed in the middle of the table. (Traditionally, the cheese was melted in front of a hot wood fire). However, "raclette" cheese is not the best cheese for a raclette. Prefer Comté (the best) or even Cantal. Generic terms: The words "tomme" and "fourme" are generic words that can describe several different types of French cheese. Etymologically, the French word for cheese, "fromage" is a diminutive of the word "fourme".

Unusual cheeses Cancoillotte -this very distinctive comes from Franche Comté; it is a runny cheese strongly flavoured with garlic, and is very much an acquired taste. It can be eaten cold or hot. Cheeses and wine. You'll read a lot of pompous advice about how such and such a cheese goes well with such and such a wine. When this is not merely a marketing gambit by regional tourist boards and local farmers associations, anxious to sell as much local produce as possible, it is often just sophisticated brain-washing. The truth of the matter is that cheese and wine go together, and as long as you follow a few basic guidelines, you can match a wide range of wines with any cheese. There is one exception; sweet white wines do not go well with cheese - unless the cheese is being used in a sweet/sour combination. Red wines go best with most cheeses, though with some very strong cheeses it is better to choose a light-bodied red wine. Dry white wines also go well with cheese, especially with tasty but mild cheeses. But in the end, it has to be a matter of individual choice.

Your idea of what goes well together is just as good as the next man's - even if the next man claims to be an expert. Remember the adage: "Even if all the experts agree, they may still be wrong." It's your taste against his. Copyright 2003 - 2017 France: a nation of cheeses In one of his memorable witticisms, General de Gaulle once quipped "How can you govern a country that has 246 varieties of cheese?" What he meant by that was not quite clear - whether he was commenting on France or on French cheese; yet this remark has gone down in history among de Gaulle's most memorable quotations. What he probably meant was that France as a country is as diverse as its cheeses - or vice-versa. And just as France is physically the most varied country in Europe, so its cheeses reflect this wide and rich cultural diversity. About-France.com helps you to distinguish your Bries from your Pyrenees.

Map courtesy of Sopexa A different take on cheese Sound Consumer | November 2012 With a sweet-tangy flavor and sometimes salty, grassy undertones, goat and sheep's milk cheeses have been loved around the world throughout history. People often choose them for their health advantages or just their distinctive taste. Some people with sensitivity to cow's milk may find goat or sheep's milk to be good alternatives because they're easier to digest. It's not clear from scientific research studies exactly why. Some research suggests that specific proteins known to cause allergic reactions may be in cow's milk but largely absent in goat's milk. Other studies have found goat's milk contains some anti-inflammatory compounds. Here are some you'll find at PCC, with our tasting notes and wine pairings. Sheep's milk cheeses Perail Papillon — Made from pure sheep's milk from the Aveyron region of Southern France, Perail is a melt-in-the-mouth cheese with a distinctive, mild flavor. The sheep are pastured at high altitudes where the best-quality grasses are found.

Tasting notes: "tastes like hay/grass," "so light and creamy," "not too rich," "strong taste of sheep," "tastes like I'm standing in the verdant pastures of France." Wine pairing: Chardonnay Petit Basque — A hard sheep's milk cheese produced in the Pyrenees Mountains. It's slightly "sheepy," nutty and fruity and, because it's quite mild, it's a good one to start with if you are unfamiliar with sheep's milk cheeses. Tasting notes: "gradual party in my mouth," "buttery with a hint of nuttiness," "love the caramelly flavor and creamy-dense texture," "great snacking cheese," "mild for sheep's milk." Wine pairing: Beaujolais, Merlot, Viognier Ricotta salata — An affordable Italian cheese aged 60 days, with a pleasant milky flavor that's sheepy but fairly mild. It's rather dry so is best shredded over pizza and pasta or crumbled onto salads or grilled vegetables.

Tasting notes: "good replacement for feta" Wine pairing: Sancerre, Cabernet franc, sparkling wines Manchego — Made in the La Mancha region of Spain from the milk of sheep of the Manchega breed, this firm, buttery cheese is aged between 60 days and two years. Commonly served with quince paste or marcona almonds. Tasting notes: "very mild," "creamy with sharp tang," "would be great melted on something." Wine pairing: Cava, Tempranillo (preferably from Rioja!) or Pinot noir Ewephoria sheep milk gouda — Hard, dry cheese from Holland with a caramelly sweet, nutty flavor. The farmer's wife says the sheep "eat better than her children" on lush pasture surrounded by a nature preserve. The crunchy cheese is a delightful snack and is delicious melted on pies or dessert breads. Wine/beer pairing: Amber or brown ales, red Bordeaux, Barolo, Merlot Roquefort — Made exclusively from the milk of the red Lacaune ewes that graze on a huge plateau in the Aveyron region of France.

The taste is complex, creamy and soft, and it pairs well with nuts and sweet fruits, such as figs. Tasting notes: "way more flavor and bite than expected," "creamy, with mild blue cheese flavor," "like a creamy brie." Wine pairing: Chï¿½teauneuf du Pï¿½pe; dessert wines such as Muscat, Port or Sauternes Did you know? Health benefits: Goat's milk cheese is lower in calories, cholesterol and fat than cow's milk cheese. It's also rich in calcium, protein, vitamin D and vitamin B2 and tryptophan — an amino acid that makes us feel happy. Sheep's milk cheese has more calcium, protein and fat than cow's milk cheese, but it has less cholesterol. How to store cheese: Once it's opened, wrap leftover cheese in wax paper, then loosely in plastic wrap, and consume within 10 days of purchase. Shelf life depends on the variety. If mold appears on the surface of aged cheese, simply cut it off; the rest is fine to eat. How to serve cheese: At room temperature, always!

Goat's milk cheeses Cypress Grove Midnight Moon — Aged at least 12 months, this buttery and slightly nutty cheese has hints of caramel and a sweet, fruity aroma. It's semihard — perfect for eating by the slice on a cheeseboard or melting in a grilled cheese sandwich. Tasting notes: "staff favorite," "delicious, sharp, rich," "all-time favorite, so clean and bright," "melts in the mouth," "slightly aged-tasting but mild," "hard to describe how delicious this is." Wine pairing: New World Chardonnay, white Burgundy, sparkling wine, Dolcetto Billie's Goat cheddar — Young, mild and smooth, with a moist texture, the firmness of traditional cheddar and the distinctive, but not overpowering, sharp flavor of goat's milk cheese.

Tasting notes: "nice flavor, rich," "good standard cheddar for cooking," "sharp, fresh flavor," "smooth," "simple and clean." Wine pairing: Hard cider, Saison and wheat beers, Barley wine, Beaujolais, sparkling wines Balarina goat gouda — A pasteurized, aged goat's milk cheese from the Netherlands that's hard enough to grate and is a perfect alternative to Parmesan. It's a classic gouda — nutty with undertones of sweetness. Tasting notes: "nutty," "sweet," "nice texture," "caramelly," "touch of sweetness." Wine pairings: Zinfandel, Riesling, Merlot Cypress Grove Humboldt Fogï¿½ï¿½— Bold flavor, with an inner layer and an outer coating of ash protecting the creamy inside with a subtle, tangy flavor. Serve a slice atop a fall spinach salad with apple, walnuts and cranberries and a balsamic vinaigrette.

Tasting notes: "sharp, strong blue flavor," "salty," "mushroomy, earthy," "very distinctive." Wine pairing: Chenin blanc, dry Rieslings, Cabernet franc, Pinot noir, Barolo Tieton Farm and Creamery chï¿½vre — Lori and Ruth Babcock raise pastured goats and sheep on their farm in Tieton, Wash., near Yakima, and turn the milk from their herd into soft artisan cheeses. Tasting notes: "really taste the sheep," "dense and creamy," "fresh, lemony taste," "more depth of flavor than some chï¿½vres," "floral, earthy, and beautifully balanced between tang and creaminess." Wine pairing: Sauvignon blanc, hard cider, sparkling ciders and wines Laura Chenel chï¿½vre — Laura Chenel is considered the "pioneer" of American goat's milk cheese production. The pure-white cheeses are quintessential chï¿½vres — soft, slightly tangy and versatile. Try the creamy, mild Chabis or the goat log, which can be sliced into rounds, covered in chopped walnuts, baked 'til brown and served atop salad greens.

Tasting notes: "like a dream where you are waking up on clouds of cheese," "salty, creamy, excellent," "tastes very fresh," "I could eat the whole thing." Wine pairing: Pineau des Charentes, Champagne, Pinot gris, Pinot noir Products and specialities of the Aveyron : Roquefort, Aligot, Tripous, Wines, ... As many micro regions as culinary variations all waiting to be discovered! Aligot This speciality form the North Aveyron, also called the "ruban de l’amitié" or ribbon of friendship, is a mix of mashed potatoes and tome fraiche cheese. Originally a subsistence dish, it is now a dish for special occasions. Estofinado The traditional dish of the boatmen on the river Lot based on stockfish (a sort of dried cod), potatoes, eggs, garlic and parsley. Stockfish arrived in the Aveyron via the boatmen who brought it up the Lot from Bordeaux. The boatmen fixed it to the stern of their boats for ten days or so, which gave the fish the time to re-hydrate.

The boats docked at Bouquiès and the boatmen ate at Livinhac-le-Haut. This is how estofinado became the dish of the Decazeville miners. Almont-les-Junies is now the estofinado capital. Farçous Forgotten for years, this Aveyron recipe has come back into popularity notably thanks to the development of local markets and evening markets in the summer period. Tripous Traditionally, it was prepared by housewives to be eaten on Sunday mornings before going to church. It slowly became the staple morning snack. It is composed of calf or lamb stomach, ham stuffing, garlic and parsley. Fouace Fouace is a very old traditional cake. The word “fouace” used to mean a bread oven and now is used for one of the oldest patisseries found on the table to celebrate epiphany. Gâteau à la broche The origins of this dessert are still talked about but it would seem that it came into being at the hands of the King of Prussia's pâtissier in 1790. Its appearance is due to its method of fabrication.

In fact, the liquid paste is gradually poured onto a conical spit that is turned close to a source of heat. Bit by bit, the paste solidifies, thus creating its very original shape. Echaudé Echaudé is an aniseed flavoured biscuit. In the past, pilgrims on the Chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostelle used to eat them whilst walking across the Rouergue. Echaudé are cooked twice: first scalded and then baked in an oven. Et bien d'autres encore ! To accompany all these delicacies, the Aveyron benefits from several wine-making areas. A.O.C. Gorges et côtes de Millau This vineyard stretches from Roquefort to the entrance of the Gorges du Tarn. It assured the prosperity of the south Aveyron well before Roquefort cheese. The producers of the Côtes de Millau have recently re-introduced traditional winemaking processes and age-old savoir-faire. A.O.C. Vins d’Entraygues-Le-Fel et d’Estaing Clinging to the steep slopes of the Lot and Truyère valleys, the vineyards produce perfumed red, rosé and white wines.

Certified AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôllée) since 2011, the first vines were planted in the 1st century BC on the steep and rocky slopes of the gorges that had been transformed into terraces. A.O.C. Marcillac The monks in Conques planted the first vines in the Vallon de Marcillac on the steep hillsides of red, clay-limestone soil, called the Rougier. This is where the red and rosé Marcillac is produced from Fer Servadou grapes called Mansois. Thanks to a long wine making process, Marcillac wines are powerful, full bodied and a beautiful red colour. It develops aromas of raspberries or blackcurrants and a slight tannic flavour that reminds you of the red soil that produced it.

A mellow tomme from Levezou / Sheep's milk cheese from France is mild despite the harsh conditions of its origin - SFGate MenuSections A mellow tomme from Levezou / Sheep's milk cheese from France is mild despite the harsh conditions of its origin By Janet Fletcher , San Francisco Chronicle Published 4:00 am, Thursday, April 29, 2004 Photo: Craig Lee Close Image 1 of 1 Tomme de Levezou cheese. Food styled by Rene Caparros. Event on 4/20/04 in San Francisco. Craig Lee / The Chronicle Tomme de Levezou cheese. Food styled by Rene Caparros. Event on 4/20/04 in San Francisco. Craig Lee / The Chronicle Photo: Craig Lee A mellow tomme from Levezou / Sheep's milk cheese from France is mild despite the harsh conditions of its origin 1 / 1 Back to Gallery When asked to name my favorite cheeses, I always want to duck, but I don't mind naming a favorite category: aged sheep's milk cheeses.

I've been told that many urban Americans don't even realize that sheep give milk, so let's get that cleared up right away. They give exceptional milk, at least from a cheesemaker's perspective. On almost every quality measure, sheep's milk outperforms cow's and goat's milk. It has more total solids, fat, protein, lactose, vitamins and minerals (iron excepted). And it has a signature flavor that I love, but struggle to describe -- faintly sweet, a little grassy and identifiably, well, sheepy. Many of France's finest sheep's milk cheeses come from the Pyrenees, but I've recently fallen for one from the Aveyron, a department in south-central France. Cahors is the region's most famous wine, Roquefort and Rocamadour its best-known cheeses. But my new love is Tomme du Levezou (Tohm dyoo Lay-vay- ZOO), a farmstead cheese made on a handful of small farms and distributed in the United States for only about the last five years. The Levezou is a high limestone plateau with a few picturesque lakes that draw tourists.

But mostly it is a wild, underpopulated landscape with a hard climate, useful only to shepherds. To earn the farmstead label, Tomme du Levezou must be made on the farm from the raw milk of only one herd; the shepherds can combine the evening and morning milk, but then they have to process it. They can't store the milk longer. The wheels, which weigh 5 to 6 pounds, are pressed to make them drier and improve their ageability. They're matured for two to four months. During that time, they develop a rustic natural rind richly coated with mold. The paste becomes butter-colored, semifirm, smooth and moist on the palate, with a few small eyes. At room temperature, drops of fat glisten on the surface. The aroma suggests grass, juniper and wildflowers. Recently, I had the good fortune to get a piece from a freshly cut wheel; the fragrance was fabulous. The flavor is mellow, nutty, even brown-buttery without the aggressive, sharp or salty notes that characterize some mature sheep's milk cheeses. If you have avoided sheep's milk cheese because you found others too pungent, give this Tomme a try.

A glass of Cahors, made from the Malbec grape, would be the obvious regional match. Alternatively, you could try an Old World-New World marriage with Argentine Malbec. Note: Tomme du Levezou is distributed in the Bay Area, but The Chronicle is unable to list retail sources with certainty. If you can't find it where you shop, ask the merchant about future availability.. Next up: Andante Dairy's fresh goat cheese, locally made and limited. Latest from the SFGATE homepage: Click below for the top news from around the Bay Area and beyond. Sign up for our newsletters to be the first to learn about breaking news and more. Go to 'Sign In' and 'Manage Profile' at the top of the page. French sheep's milk cheese named best in the world - NY Daily News French sheep's milk cheese named best in the world, 10-month old Ossau-Iraty made by Fromagerie Agou French sheep's milk cheese named best in the world AFP RELAXNEWS A sheep’s milk cheese produced by a small farmhouse producer in France has been crowned the best cheese in the world.

(Shutterstock/AFP) AFP RELAXNEWS Monday, November 28, 2011, 12:05 PM A sheep’s milk cheese produced by a small farmhouse producer in France has been crowned the best cheese in the world -- for the second time. The 10-month old Ossau-Iraty made by Fromagerie Agour, a family-owned business in the southwest of France, was named the big cheese at the World Cheese Awards in Birmingham, England this week, the largest competition of its kind. It was a narrow victory for the French fromage, snatching the title away from last year’s winner, a British Cornish Blue, by just a few points. It’s the second time Ossau-Iraty has held on to the title, having been named the champion cheese in 2006. It’s also one of only two sheep’s milk cheeses to be designated with the AOC label in France. The Appellation d’origine controlée -- which translates to controlled designation of origin -- is a certification protecting a product’s terroir and its place of origin.

A cheese claiming to be Roquefort, for example, can only be made in the Roquefort area of France. Meanwhile, the Ossau-Iraty’s name reflects its geographical location which lies in the Ossau Valley in Béarn and the Iraty Valley in the Northern Basque Country of south-western France. To respect the natural cycle of the animals, milk and cheese production is seasonal. Milk comes from the Manech Tête Noir and Tête Rousse sheep and the Basco-béarnaises, hardy breeds native to the Pyrenees which spend their lives grazing the prairieside. Cheese is made using old-world methods with raw, unpasteurized milk and is uncooked and pressed, and aged for between 80 to 120 days. Online cheese boutique Fromages.com describes the cheese -- white, supple and creamy in texture -- as nutty and robust in flavor.

Meanwhile, at the World Cheese Awards, Philip Stansfield ’s Cornish Blue took the second spot, while a limited edition American Cognac Bella Vitano from Sartori Cheese -- a semi-hard cheese aged for a year and steeped in cognac for up to 10 days -- took home the third prize. The full results of the competition will be released Nov. 25. Join the Conversation:

Question: Which cheese, made from ewe's milk, comes from the Aveyron region of France?
Answer: Roquefort